BEHIND the scenes tours of Coventry’s new Albany Theatre open to the public tonight.

Before its doors are officially reopened for stage productions next month, people are invited for a sneak preview of the historic venue which has been transformed from the old Butts Theatre in The Butts.

The 1930s building was the city’s biggest amateur theatre, forming part of the old Coventry Technical College and surviving the Blitz, before it closed four years ago for the Earlsdon Park development.

Now it has been renamed the Albany Theatre as part of a community effort to refurbish the space and widen its appeal as a venue for community events and conferences as well as amateur and professional shows.

The Telegraph had a first look last week, when the extent of the work to improve the auditorium and stage was unveiled to a privilege few after £60,000 of volunteer labour, donated equipment and materials was pumped into the project.

The open forum which starts at 7.30pm will give all those with an interest a chance to find out about exciting plans for its future and relieve treasured memories of their time at the old Butts Theatre, whether they attended in the past as spectators or performers.

Visitors can also find out about how they can get involved to make the theatre a success in years to come.